In this article, let’s learn how to easily and safely clean crosses of all types, from standard to leather.

How To Clean Crocs

Instead of putting their shoes in the washing machine, Crocs advises spot cleaning and air drying them. This worked well almost always, though some stains took longer to remove than others. Make sure the material you’re cleaning off the shoes doesn’t contaminate the area where you’re working. Hopefully, this goes without saying, but if you step in dog poop, wash your clogs outside rather than in a kitchen sink.

Common Stains Like Dirt And Dog Poop

We spoke with people who own Crocs and combed through numerous Reddit threads to find the most common complaints about substances that stain them. Unsurprisingly, dirt is the primary offender, but several people pointed out that red clay, which is present in the soil in the southeast of the US, is particularly difficult to remove. I was already planning a trip to South Carolina, so while I was there, I trampled around a muddy, rust-colored construction site (safely and with permission) and then allowed the shoes to dry, still covered in dirt.

I took out the larger mud chunks a week later, then used lukewarm water and dish soap to remove the remaining mud (Crocs advises using cold water). I had a variety of cleaning supplies ready and was expecting the red clay to put up a fight, but after a good scrub with dish soap, the rusty tint came right off and the surface turned bright white once more.

I inserted a toothbrush between the shoe’s grooves and under the rivet holding the heel strap to the clog.

The same technique worked perfectly to remove dog poop and sidewalk grime. Regarding the second one: To reduce the bulk, we suggest carrying some travel-size Clorox wipes in your bag because this unfortunate circumstance frequently occurs while you’re on the go and calls for immediate attention. After deliberately stepping in a pile of poop, I tried to use Shout wipes, but the cleaning rectangles proved to be much too small for the job. I would have covered my hands in the waste of a beloved dog friend if I had not been wearing gloves.

Tougher Stains Like Paint And Grass

I decorated the soles of my Crocs with blue acrylic paint and Elmer’s glitter glue because children love them so much. I then allowed the glue to dry overnight. The glue and thicker paint pieces immediately peeled off the following day. With soap and water, a paint stain the color of blue was removed, but the rivet holding the strap to the clog still had a very slight blue tint to it. Without success, I scrubbed the shoe again after soaking it in warm water and dish soap for twenty minutes. I followed up by applying baking soda and giving the area one more scrub with the toothbrush before deciding to accept the stains as they are because they are so subtle and hard to spot without looking for them.

Going back outside, I gave the Crocs to a Wirecutter editor who had a backyard. He vigorously rubbed the shoes with mud and grass and then left them for two days. The dirt came right off, just like with the southern red clay, but grass stains were more challenging to remove. Dawn cleaning didn’t work, but a toothbrush and some mild laundry detergent helped to slightly fade the green stains. He then mixed baking soda and water into a paste and added vinegar after letting the mixture sit for a while. He scrubbed some more, but the greenish-brown tint was still there, so he let the Crocs air-dry for a while researching other cleaning techniques to try. He was pleased to discover the stain had almost entirely disappeared when he arrived back. To learn why this happened, we contacted the company, but they didn’t get back to us.

The Mystery Of The Vanishing Sriracha

After reading numerous online complaints about the condiments’ staining capacity, we splattered sriracha all over our white Crocs in the original version of this guide. Following that, we experimented with several products, including soap and water, Mr. Before using more difficult cleaners the company does not advise, such as Goo Gone and Clorox Bathroom Bleach Foamer, clean with Magic Eraser, OxiClean, and isopropyl alcohol. We even put them in the washing machine after a protracted OxiClean presoak. Nothing worked, and we came to the conclusion that a Croc gets a life sentence when they get a Sriracha stain. But then something strange occurred.

We left the Crocs in a mud room without any direct sunlight after publishing the initial story. The stains gradually became less noticeable over the following few days, eventually almost disappearing entirely. The enigma surrounding the fading marks sparked a widespread, public inquiry. We won’t likely ever know with certainty what happened because Croslite is a proprietary material, but some experts we spoke to had some interesting theories.

Gary Wnek, a professor at Case Western Reserve University and the department’s chair of macromolecular science and engineering, provided advice. According to him, the chlorophyll in the grass and likely the Sriracha both dissolve into the Crocs. Similar to how tomato sauce’s lycopene fades from Tupperware in the sun, both substances appear to have degraded in the light. “So perhaps just leaving the stained Crocs in room light is enough to degrade the stain into colorless components,” he said.

Julie Kim, one of our contributors, posted an intriguing comment in response to our Instagram call for inspiration. “There’s a tried a true technique for cleaning vinyl dolls — leave benzoyl peroxide on the “skin” in sunlight for a few hours — if you don’t wipe it off well, it will continue to fade (a problem for darker-skinned dolls.)” The numerous cleaners we initially tried on the Crocs might have taken longer than expected to work.

The lesson here is to give your Crocs a few days to air out if a stain persists despite your best cleaning efforts.

Does Crocs Shine Actually Work?

The brand-name polish and cleaner Crocs Shine is made by Crocs and costs around $7. It comes with a sponge that has been pre-soaked in the product’s solution. However, like every other cleaning product we’ve tried, it couldn’t compare to sriracha. We discovered that it did restore some of the lusters to our Crocs. You would be better off using regular dish soap and water for daily cleaning to save money. Additionally, you need to purchase an entirely new rig once the solution in the sponge runs out. We don’t believe the additional environmental impact is justified by a little shine.

How Long Will It Take To Clean This?

How filthy your shoes are will determine what to do. It will only take a few minutes to remove a few minor smudges from the tops, but it may take longer to reach the ridges on the sole’s bottom and the crevices behind the strap clasp.

Croc Cleaning Supplies

You need to gather a few supplies before you start cleaning. Crocs typically only require a mild cleanser and a little elbow grease to restore their original beauty. Supplies you’ll need to grab for these methods include:

• Dish soap (Blue Dawn works well)
• Laundry soap
• Soft brush
• Cloth
• Baking soda ( also useful for cleaning Birkenstocks)
• Leather cream
• Leather protector

Keep in mind that you should get rid of any Croc Jibbitz you may have before beginning the cleaning.

Ways To Clean Different Types Of Crocs

Canvas Crocs

Do you have a favorite pair of canvas Crocs? In any case, cleaning canvas shoes is a breeze. Pick up a cloth and some dish soap.

1. Remove as much dirt and debris as you can using the soft brush.
2. Put some dish soap and warm water on a cloth.
3. Wring it out well.
4. Make sure to thoroughly clean the canvas.
5. Scrub-stained areas with a wet toothbrush and soapy water.
6. Allow to air dry.

Fuzzy Crocs

Those fur-lined Crocs might have you wondering how to clean them. Cleaning typical crocs follow a similar procedure. Just be certain to clean out that lining as well.

1. Apply cold water inside and out to your Crocs.
2. Add a few tablespoons of laundry detergent to 2 cups of cold water.
3. In a sink or bathtub, pour it over the Crocs.
4. Both the inside and outside of the Crocs should be cleaned with a scrub brush. Pay close attention to the lining.
5. Thoroughly rinse, then let air dry in a shaded area.

Leather Crocs 

Any product made of leather requires special attention. Your leather Crocs also fit into this category. When cleaning them, be careful to be gentle.

1. Wet a rag and wring it out thoroughly to clean Crocs that are only slightly dirty.
2. Wipe down the Crocs.
3. You can also apply leather shoe cream to Crocs that are soiled.
4. Use this cream as directed.
5. You can choose to spray them with a water-repellent leather protector afterward.

White Crocs

Bleach shouldn’t be used to clean white Crocs. Your Crocs may find this chemical to be too harsh. Instead, you can use baking soda to clean white Crocs.

1. Wet down your Crocs.
2. Use a soft brush and dish soap to scrub them.
3. Wet a cloth and dunk it in some baking soda if there are still stains.
4. Utilizing circular motions, scrub the stains with the baking soda.
5. Rinse and dry.

How To Remove Smells From Croc

After cleaning your Crocs, are odors still an issue? Pull out the baking soda at that point.

1. In a plastic bag, generously sprinkle baking soda.
2. Add your Crocs.
3. Overnight, place the plastic bag in the freezer.
4. Discard any baking soda by taking them out.

How To Clean Your Jibbitz

You don’t want to put filthy, worn-out charms in Crocs that are brand-new and sparkling. Therefore, you also need to clean your Jibbitz.

1. Dish soap and warm water should be combined.
2. Allow your Jibbitz to soak for around five minutes.
3. To get rid of any debris, use an old toothbrush or a soft scrub brush.
4. Rinse and air dry.

Can You Put Crocs in the Washer?

Crocs advise handwashing your footwear, but you can wash the Croslite and canvas varieties in the washing machine. Use your washer’s delicate cycle and cold water to wash the items. Use only laundry detergent; do not use bleach or other caustic substances.

Things To Avoid When Washing Crocs

According to Crocs, there are a few things you should avoid doing when cleaning your shoes if you don’t want to ruin them.

• Keep your Crocs out of the dishwasher because heat can cause them to shrink.
• Crocs shouldn’t be machine-washed in hot water.
• Avoid drying Crocs in direct sunlight
• When cleaning Crocs, stay away from harsh chemicals.